News
downsmail.co.uk More ranks needed for town’s cabs
COUNCILLORS have set them- selves the task of deciding what to do in a town that has more taxis than it has ranks. Maidstone has 48 licensed Hack-
ney cabs but just 36 spaces, of which only nine are near the busiest town centre spots. Now a group of taxi drivers, to-
gether with councillors and offi- cers, are to investigate whether the King Street rank – set up in 2013 –
APROPOSEDthree-bedroom annex for Water Lane, Headcorn was turned down for being too large. Maidstone Council felt the pro-
is actually the best place for them to be.
Prior to the High Street refur- bishment, the taxi rank was near the Queen’s Monument in Jubilee Square, but Town Centre Manage- ment has recently argued it should be in the lower High Street. Drivers complain that at night-
time, when trade is at its busiest, private taxis park in spaces allotted for the Hackney cabs, although li-
censing officers are always on the look-out for offending vehicles. A report to Maidstone Council’s licensing committee argued there was much confusion among cus- tomers about the type and location of taxi cabs. Lorraine Neale, head of housing
and community services, said:“We could look at providing better pub- licity and signage for both drivers and the public, informing them of
where taxis can be found for hire.” The 36 spaces that currently exist
can be found in King Street, High Street, Pudding Lane, Barker Road, St Faith’s Street and Earl Street, as well as at both Maidstone train sta- tions.
Future options could include the
lower High Street – or even the spaces outside the NatWest bank, currently allocated for blue badge holders.
Annex refused MPcalls for bus improvements
posal for Brookwood Oast, which would have required the partial demolition of an outbuilding, would have been excessive in scale and caused harm to the oast house as well as the open countryside.
Jailed for assault GRAHAM Taylor (29), of Hollytree Close, Kingswood, was jailed for 14 days for assaulting a man in Rochester.Hedenied the offence but was convicted at Medway Magis- trates Court.
PROPOSED improvements to Ar- riva’s rural bus services have been hammered out at a meeting of par- ents, teachers, councillors and stu- dents.
Those at the meeting – convened
by MP Helen Grant with the bus company – covered ongoing con- cerns about services, including numbers 5, 59, 89 and theNo 12, for Staplehurst, Coxheath, Boughton Monchelsea and Tenterden through to Maidstone. A sub-committee, comprising
Cllr John Perry, parish councillor Peter Spearink, Invicta head Julie Derrick, Arriva’s Robert Patterson
z Quality z Design z Imagination
MP Helen Grant at the meeting to discuss Arriva’s rural bus service
and parents Marissa Avraamides and Tina Jordan was formed to re- view progress. It will meet in April. An action plan calls on Arriva to addressmaintenance issues; priori- tise replacement vehicles for the busiest routes in the event of a
breakdown; investigate providing greater capacity on school routes; and resolve issues with the app providing live bus information. Mrs Grant said: “I look forward
to receiving an update and expect reliability issues to now improve.”
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